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Saltwater Fishing Hooks and Sinkers

Click here if you would like more information on the different boat types when saltwater fishing!

Hooks

J-hooks

Shaped like the letter J, these hooks come in various styles for different types of saltwater fishing. Thinner wire hooks are best for delicate baits such as shrimp and worms, but brawny hooks are required for big fish.

Circle Hook

Ideal for catch-and-release fishing, the circle hook is used primarily for live or cut bait fishing because the hook\\'s shape prevents it from lodging in the fish\\'s gut.

Treble Hook

These three-pronged hooks are mainly used for fishing plugs to increase hookups when fish strike the artificial lures. Treble hooks are often used as stinger hooks in kingfish rigs. Stinger hooks are added to a short wire leader left dangling to following the main hook. Treble hooks should not be used for still fishing with bait because the hooks are easily swallowed and injure fish that could otherwise be released.

Sinkers

Bank Sinkers

A round or bell-shaped sinker usually used to keep bait close to the bottom without snagging in structure. The design of the sinker prevents it from rolling along the bottom and decreases line twist. The sinker is ideal for offshore bottom fishing for red snapper, sea bass and other bottom feeders.

Pyramid sinkers

Shaped as their name implies, they are often used in place of bell sinkers for bottom fishing.

Egg Sinkers

A round, oblong sinker with a hole through the middle that allows line to be pulled through the weight when a fish bites. The sinker is slipped on the main line above a swivel which is attached to a leader with live bait for bottom fishing for grouper.

Trolling Sinker

A long and slender sinker designed to pass through water easily for high-speed deep sea trolling. The sinkers allow baits to be trolled at different depths and speeds depending on the weight of the sinkers. The best sinkers have swivels on both ends of the weight to prevent line twist.

Split-shot Sinker

A small ball-shaped weight that can be pinched on a line above a hook to deliver a bait slightly under the surface. These sinkers are good for drifting small baits in low current, light-line bait fishing in clear water or adding weight in front of lures for probing deeper water.

Special Sinker

A special weight for surfcasting is the breakaway sinker, which can be cast a long distance and features wires that hold firm to the bottom but release when a fish bites or when reeled in.

Take a look at some of our other articles on saltwater fishing as well as more boating related articles here